Once A Week (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Once A Week was an English weekly illustrated literary magazine
published by Bradbury and Evans
. According to John Sutherland, "[h]istorically the magazine's main achievement was to provide an outlet for [an] innovative group of illustrators [in] the 1860s."
The magazine was founded in consequence of a dispute between Bradbury and Evans and Charles Dickens
. Bradbury and Evans had been Dickens' publisher since 1844, including publishing his magazine Household Words
. In 1859, Bradbury and Evans refused to carry an advertisement by Dickens explaining why he had broken with Mrs. Dickens. In consequence, Dickens stopped work on Household Words and founded a new magazine, All The Year Round
, which he decided would be editorially independent of any publisher. Bradbury and Evans responded by founding Once A Week, with veteran editor and abolitionist hero Samuel Lucas
at the head.
The magazine was different from Household Words in that it was more expensive and it was illustrated. Notable illustrators included John Leech, Hablot K. Browne
, Frederick Sandys, Holman Hunt, John Tenniel
and George du Maurier
. Notable writers included Mark Lemon
, Shirley Brooks
and Tom Taylor
. Many of the illustrators and writers also worked for Punch
, another Bradbury and Evans literary magazine . The magazine's central feature was serial fiction; among other works, it published Charles Anderson Read
's A Good Fight, George Meredith
's Evan Harrington and Charles Felix's The Notting Hill Mystery
, thought by some to be the first modern detective novel. Woman writers whose work was featured in the magazine included Harriet Martineau
, Isabella Blagden, and M.E. Braddon.
After Lucas died in 1865 the magazine went into decline. Although it had strong sales, it was probably underpriced. It was purchased by James Rice who owned it until 1873 when it was bought by G. Manville Fenn; by then it was "a shadow of its former self," and ceased publication in 1880.
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
published by Bradbury and Evans
Bradbury and Evans
Bradbury and Evans was an English printer and publisher founded by William Bradbury and Frederick Mullet Evans. For the first ten years they were printers, then added publishing in 1841 after they purchased Punch magazine. As printers they did work for Edward Moxon and Chapman and Hall...
. According to John Sutherland, "
The magazine was founded in consequence of a dispute between Bradbury and Evans and Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. Bradbury and Evans had been Dickens' publisher since 1844, including publishing his magazine Household Words
Household Words
Household Words was an English weekly magazine edited by Charles Dickens in the 1850s which took its name from the line from Shakespeare "Familiar in his mouth as household words" — Henry V.-History:...
. In 1859, Bradbury and Evans refused to carry an advertisement by Dickens explaining why he had broken with Mrs. Dickens. In consequence, Dickens stopped work on Household Words and founded a new magazine, All The Year Round
All the Year Round
All the Year Round was a Victorian periodical, being a British weekly literary magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens, published between 1859 and 1895 throughout the United Kingdom. Edited by Dickens, it was the direct successor to his previous publication Household Words, abandoned due to...
, which he decided would be editorially independent of any publisher. Bradbury and Evans responded by founding Once A Week, with veteran editor and abolitionist hero Samuel Lucas
Samuel Lucas
Samuel Lucas was a British Journalist and abolitionist. He was the editor of the Morning Star in London, the only national newspaper in Britain to support the Unionist cause in the American Civil War. He died knowing that legal slavery in America had ended. In 2010 a U.S. Embassy attache visited...
at the head.
The magazine was different from Household Words in that it was more expensive and it was illustrated. Notable illustrators included John Leech, Hablot K. Browne
Hablot Knight Browne
Hablot Knight Browne was an English artist, famous as Phiz, illustrator of books by Charles Dickens, Charles Lever and Harrison Ainsworth.-Biography:...
, Frederick Sandys, Holman Hunt, John Tenniel
John Tenniel
Sir John Tenniel was a British illustrator, graphic humorist and political cartoonist whose work was prominent during the second half of England’s 19th century. Tenniel is considered important to the study of that period’s social, literary, and art histories...
and George du Maurier
George du Maurier
George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier was a French-born British cartoonist and author, known for his cartoons in Punch and also for his novel Trilby. He was the father of actor Gerald du Maurier and grandfather of the writers Angela du Maurier and Dame Daphne du Maurier...
. Notable writers included Mark Lemon
Mark Lemon
Mark Lemon was founding editor of both Punch and The Field.-Biography:Lemon was born in London on the 30 November 1809. He was the son of Martin Lemon, a hop merchant, and Alice Collis. His parents married on 26 December 1808 at St Mary, Marylebone, London...
, Shirley Brooks
Shirley Brooks
Charles William Shirley Brooks , journalist and novelist, born in London, began life in a solicitor's office. He early, however, took to literature, and contributed to various periodicals. In 1851 he joined the staff of Punch, to which he contributed "Essence of Parliament," and on the death of...
and Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of Punch magazine...
. Many of the illustrators and writers also worked for Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
, another Bradbury and Evans literary magazine . The magazine's central feature was serial fiction; among other works, it published Charles Anderson Read
Charles Anderson Read
Charles Anderson Read was an Irish journalist, novelist and anthologist.-Life:He was born to a landowning family near Sligo. He had a business in Rathfriland, County Down, but when it failed he moved to London, becoming a journalist.He produced numerous sketches, poems, short tales, and nine novels...
's A Good Fight, George Meredith
George Meredith
George Meredith, OM was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era.- Life :Meredith was born in Portsmouth, England, a son and grandson of naval outfitters. His mother died when he was five. At the age of 14 he was sent to a Moravian School in Neuwied, Germany, where he remained for two...
's Evan Harrington and Charles Felix's The Notting Hill Mystery
The Notting Hill Mystery
The Notting Hill Mystery is an English-language detective novel written by an anonymous author using the pseudonym "Charles Felix", with illustrations by George du Maurier...
, thought by some to be the first modern detective novel. Woman writers whose work was featured in the magazine included Harriet Martineau
Harriet Martineau
Harriet Martineau was an English social theorist and Whig writer, often cited as the first female sociologist....
, Isabella Blagden, and M.E. Braddon.
After Lucas died in 1865 the magazine went into decline. Although it had strong sales, it was probably underpriced. It was purchased by James Rice who owned it until 1873 when it was bought by G. Manville Fenn; by then it was "a shadow of its former self," and ceased publication in 1880.
External links
- Once A Week at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
(scanned books original editions illustrated)